0
0
A newly discovered strain of highly virulent, antibiotic-resistant bacteria is rapidly spreading across Asia, sparking alarm among global health experts due to its resistance to treatment and potential to cause widespread infections. Known as the ST164 strain of Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), this bacterial “super-strain” has shown alarming resistance levels, with experts urging stringent containment measures.
A recent study, published in Nature Communications by researchers from the University of Birmingham and Zhejiang University, identified the ST164 strain in a hospital ICU in Hangzhou, China. The research team observed that this strain accounted for 40.2% of CRAB infections within the ICU over a three-month period in 2021, suggesting a rapid rise and possible spread beyond the facility.
The study, funded by the Medical Research Council and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, involved advanced genomic surveillance that revealed the alarming presence of ST164 in 80.9% of A. baumannii samples in the ICU. The high levels of antibiotic resistance displayed by ST164, particularly to carbapenems—a class of antibiotics often used as a last line of defense—pose significant challenges for healthcare providers, especially as it can cause life-threatening illnesses, including pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections.
Professor Alan McNally, a co-author of the study, noted the gravity of the findings: “We believe that ST164 is establishing itself in ICU settings and may be spreading widely across Asia. Although it caused fewer infections than other CRAB strains during the study, its high levels of resistance make it a priority for monitoring.”
The study comes amid mounting concerns over CRAB’s ability to persist on hospital surfaces and medical equipment, contributing to its rapid transmission. CRAB infections require stringent infection control and frequent monitoring, given their ability to colonize patients within 48 hours of admission through shared equipment, hospital airflow, and staff interactions. Hospitals facing outbreaks of CRAB may need extensive measures, often involving logistical and financial burdens, to contain the bacteria and safeguard patient health.
Global Public Health Risk and Limited Treatment Options
CRAB’s high resistance has prompted the World Health Organization to label it a priority organism in urgent need of novel therapeutic solutions. Professor Willem van Schaik of the University of Birmingham emphasized the pressing global health implications of CRAB, particularly the ST164 clone: “The health impacts of CRAB affect patient outcomes and strain healthcare resources globally. Without new treatments, effective infection prevention and control strategies are critical to limiting morbidity and mortality in hospitals.”
With antibiotic-resistant infections rising worldwide, experts warn that the ST164 strain could further complicate an already challenging landscape in hospital infection control. They advocate for high-resolution genomic monitoring and more research on CRAB’s evolution in healthcare environments to understand—and hopefully mitigate—its spread.
Reference: “Longitudinal genomics reveals carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii population changes with emergence of highly resistant ST164 clone,” Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53817-x
